Apparatus and method for injecting a concentrated fluorescent dye into a sealed air-conditioning system

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for injecting a concentrated fluorescent dye into a sealed air-conditioning system prior to the system going into service are revealed. The apparatus is made of a heated reservoir connected to a heated hose which is connected to a heated injector. The method involves heating a fluorescent dye to form a molten liquid fluorescent dye, maintaining the liquid fluorescent dye at a constant temperature and viscosity and injecting the liquid fluorescent dye into a component of a sealed air-conditioning system prior to the system going into service.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An apparatus for injecting a concentrated fluorescent dye into a sealed air-conditioning system prior to the system going into service, comprising: 
       a) a heated reservoir, wherein a concentrated fluorescent dye is melted to form a concentrated liquid fluorescent dye;  
       b) a heated hose, wherein the heated hose has a first end and a second end and wherein the heated reservoir is connected to the first end of the heated hose; and  
       c) a heated injector, wherein the heated injector is connected to the second end of the heated hose.  
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heated reservoir has a temperature between 150° C. and 205° C. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heated hose has a temperature between 160° C. and 210° C. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heated injector has a temperature between 160° C. and 210° C. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heated reservoir is sealed within a nitrogen blanket. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a microprocessor to control injector time. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a sensor to automatically trigger the injector. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heated injector is air assisted. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heated injector has a spray pattern selected from the group consisting of a stream, a spray and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a manual trigger for injecting the liquid fluorescent dye. 
     
     
       11. A method for injecting a concentrated fluorescent dye into a sealed air-conditioning system prior to the system going into service, comprising the steps of: 
       a) heating a fluorescent dye to form a liquid fluorescent dye;  
       b) maintaining the liquid fluorescent dye at a constant temperature and viscosity; and  
       c) injecting the liquid fluorescent dye into a sealed air-conditioning system component prior to the system going into service.  
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the heating step is performed in a heated reservoir having a temperature between 150° C. and 205° C. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the heated reservoir is sealed with a nitrogen blanket. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the maintaining step is performed at a temperature between 150° C. and 210° C. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the injecting step is performed at a temperature between 160° C. and 205° C. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the injecting step is controlled by a microprocessor. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the injecting step is performed with a heated injector. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the injecting step is performed with a heated injector that has a spray pattern selected from the group consisting of a stream, a spray and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the heat injector is air controlled. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the injecting step is initiated by applying a physical force to a manual trigger.